Club Monaco Men's Store Opening Recap

Club Monaco‘s men’s-only pop-up store opened its doors last Saturday, September 15 in Hong Kong, the first of its kind for the burgeoning lifestyle brand. Located in the artistic district of Wan Chai, the modest 600-square-foot space is, according to Vice President of Design Aaron Levine, “The natural evolution of menswear at Club Monaco in terms of both product and concept.” The brand’s “evolved” menswear is a tightly curated collection of Americana-inspired garments injected with European flair. Housed in a distinctly masculine, throwback space, the focal point of the product assortment is Club Monaco’s “Made in the USA” range — a limited-edition selection of suiting, shirts, ties and denim. Designed with A Continuous Lean‘s Michael Williams, they include a heady mix of fall staples — waxed cotton jackets, blazers and Japanese denim — along with sartorial, continental garments like blousons, cashmere knits and colored chinos. Shirting, meanwhile, is made in Ashland, Pennsylvania, and patterned with camouflage and micro-florals, making for a deft combination of heritage and contemporary.

In keeping with a decidedly domestic lean, an array of third-party American products are also showcased alongside the house line — Wolverine 1000 Mile boots, Ernest Alexander bags, and Smathers & Branson needlepoint belts and flasks, among numerous others. Elsewhere, a small glass display houses a selection of vintage Persols and Rolexes and vintage artwork lines the shop’s walls.

When J.Crew opened its multi-label Liquor Store in 2008, ushering in a new era in the brand’s sartorial relevance, it created a conceptual and stylistic precedent for seasons to come. With the opening of its first men’s store — and presumably more to follow — Club Monaco seems poised to rewrite its own place in the world of menswear.

Photography: HYPEBEAST